EnfieldYiddo
Silence
- Aug 6, 2012
- 15,505
- 26,871
Tom Carroll returns presumably, back into the first team fold for next season.
Two seasons ago I remember there being quite the discussion on here regarding Carroll and his potential.
Many believed he would go on to be a top star for us, several even entertaining the idea of him becoming the next 'Modric'.
I was firmly in the camp that he could potentially become a star for us, I really liked what he seemed to bring to the team (he was also home-grown, young etc.)
This season, Carroll has had a very indifferent season with QPR. I understand he is the supposed 'assister of the assister' or 'metronome' but in 26 games, he has managed 0 goals and 2 assists for QPR.
The only positive statistic I recall reading was that QPR supposedly have a slightly better win % with Carroll in the team than when he isn't, hard to use that as supporting evidence of his ability when it's a somewhat indirect statistic (also we don't know the quality of teams played or how the games panned out - he could have been a passenger all game yet QPR still won).
A quick look on QPR forums throughout various points in the season wasn't great. Early enthusiasm Carroll's desire to get on the ball quickly disappeared. Instead, fans often bemoaned his short, ineffectual passing, commenting that he was often careless with the ball when trying something more adventurous. He apparently went missing for large parts of games and complete lack of physicality, 'little boy' was often the description. Many QPR fans by the end wanted a Henry - Barton midfield two, that alone says all you need to know about how Carroll's loan spell went.
Hardly great reading so far.
On the flip-side, you could argue that the QPR loan was a poor one. A team full of mercenaries and past it players, littered with a few semi-decent footballers. They also weren't deploying tactics that would play to Carrolls strengths. So perhaps to judge Carroll on how his loan spell went there is a tad unfair? One positive note is Carroll now has more experience with roughly 3/4 of a full season of competitive football under his belt.
So, it brings us to next season - In my opinion, we still have a huge gap in our XI for a playmaker, I just don't feel Carroll is the chosen one. On the cusp of 22, with little to no top flight experience - I feel we need to look further afield for a proper playmaker. Perhaps keep him in around the squad, cameos in the league and starts in the cups. I have no doubt he will look a better player alongside the quality in our ranks compared to those of QPR.
I still feel though that it's the romantic in me that wants to keep him on and hope he succeeds. If I was brutally honest, I'd be very surprised if he even made it as a fairly regularly used squad player for us, let alone anything more.
Two seasons ago I remember there being quite the discussion on here regarding Carroll and his potential.
Many believed he would go on to be a top star for us, several even entertaining the idea of him becoming the next 'Modric'.
I was firmly in the camp that he could potentially become a star for us, I really liked what he seemed to bring to the team (he was also home-grown, young etc.)
This season, Carroll has had a very indifferent season with QPR. I understand he is the supposed 'assister of the assister' or 'metronome' but in 26 games, he has managed 0 goals and 2 assists for QPR.
The only positive statistic I recall reading was that QPR supposedly have a slightly better win % with Carroll in the team than when he isn't, hard to use that as supporting evidence of his ability when it's a somewhat indirect statistic (also we don't know the quality of teams played or how the games panned out - he could have been a passenger all game yet QPR still won).
A quick look on QPR forums throughout various points in the season wasn't great. Early enthusiasm Carroll's desire to get on the ball quickly disappeared. Instead, fans often bemoaned his short, ineffectual passing, commenting that he was often careless with the ball when trying something more adventurous. He apparently went missing for large parts of games and complete lack of physicality, 'little boy' was often the description. Many QPR fans by the end wanted a Henry - Barton midfield two, that alone says all you need to know about how Carroll's loan spell went.
Hardly great reading so far.
On the flip-side, you could argue that the QPR loan was a poor one. A team full of mercenaries and past it players, littered with a few semi-decent footballers. They also weren't deploying tactics that would play to Carrolls strengths. So perhaps to judge Carroll on how his loan spell went there is a tad unfair? One positive note is Carroll now has more experience with roughly 3/4 of a full season of competitive football under his belt.
So, it brings us to next season - In my opinion, we still have a huge gap in our XI for a playmaker, I just don't feel Carroll is the chosen one. On the cusp of 22, with little to no top flight experience - I feel we need to look further afield for a proper playmaker. Perhaps keep him in around the squad, cameos in the league and starts in the cups. I have no doubt he will look a better player alongside the quality in our ranks compared to those of QPR.
I still feel though that it's the romantic in me that wants to keep him on and hope he succeeds. If I was brutally honest, I'd be very surprised if he even made it as a fairly regularly used squad player for us, let alone anything more.
